A/N - Okay, so I'm hoping this chapter is good. Aside from a tiny bit in Second Chance and Remember You.., I haven't written much about Gibbs and Abby. So I hope this works. Please let me know.

Thanks for all the support, by way of reviews, alerts etc. It's been great.

Disclaimer in Chapter 1

Chapter 7

It took Eric an hour to get from the office, back to his apartment, pack a few things and leave for the airport. He tried to remember everything he could from being around his team mates. How not to get noticed, what to do, how to do it. He'd retrieved the wad of cash from inside the toilet cistern, pulled out the fake I.D's and credit cards that Hetty had issued him. They had come with strict instructions to never use it unless the end of the world was near. He figured this counted.

It took him three flights to get to Washington, not taking the direct route and using different I.D's on each, even taking a bus for two hours to get a flight from a different airport. By the time he arrived in D.C, it was almost midnight. He'd only just made it on the last arriving flight of the night.

Eric jumped in a cab and gave an address close to Abby's. He'd have a few minutes walk but that didn't matter. He just had to make sure there was no record of anyone being dropped at Abby's door.

It was just after one am. Eric was standing outside Abby's apartment. In all the time he had today, he hadn't even considered what he was going to say. He hadn't even opened his computer on any of the flights or whilst waiting. He'd brought a book at LAX, a real one with pages and everything. He had the paper-cuts to prove it.

How was he going to tell Abby that the people she worked with might not be as good as she thought?

He knocked, waited and knocked again.

A sleepy Abby finally answered.

"Eric?" She frowned at him.

"Hey Abby," Eric replied with a nervous smile.

"What are you doing here? I mean, not that you're not welcome, but my apartment is a long way from L.A." Abby replied as she stepped back to let him in the door.

When he didn't move Abby added, "You can come in, I won't bite."

Eric almost laughed and finally moved. Abby closed the door and turned back to Eric. She smiled at the look on his face as he looked around her apartment. It was very much like the way she dressed, mostly black, white and some dashes of red around the place. Very Abby'ish, Eric thought.

"What's going on Eric? What's wrong?" Abby asked concerned when Eric stopped checking out her decor and turned to her.

"Everything," Eric replied. This was going to be so hard. "Callen's in trouble, Kensi too."

Abby frowned. "From who?"

"That's the problem," Eric admitted. "We're not entirely sure. I need your help to find out."

"We can help. I'll call the team. We can go to the office and put out heads together," Abby said. She moved towards her bedroom, going to get changed but stopped at Eric's response.

"No we can't."

Abby turned and saw the scared expression on his face. "Why not?"

Eric took a deep calming breath. She's not going to kill me, even if she could do it without leaving a shred of evidence.

"Because it looks like some of them might be involved," he said quickly.

"Are you trying to tell me that my team are out to get Callen?" She had a soft spot for Callen, since he'd saved her life back in L.A.

"No," he shook his head, "not exactly. But it looks like some of them may have been involved in giving someone Callen and Kensi's complete files. Everything we had on them."

"Who? Show me," Abby demanded, as she stepped back closer to him.

"Where can I plug this in?" Eric asked as he pulled out his computer. Abby turned and led the way to another room. This one wasn't decorated Abby'ish, unless the mass of computer equipment counted, which was entirely possible. You wouldn't even think you were in the same apartment. She cleared some space and he set up his computer whilst she grabbed an extra chair.

An hour later, Abby looked at Eric.

"That does look really bad, but I still can't believe they'd be involved," she said.

"I know, but we can't trust them until we are sure," Eric replied. "Can you access the network at the office from here?"

Abby rolled her eyes, "Of course I can. But first, I'm going to call Gibbs."

Eric frowned. "Is that a good idea? It's almost three in the morning. Won't he be a little pissed?"

"Not with me," Abby assured him as she picked up the phone and dialed.

"Good morning sleepy head," Abby said cheerily.

"Abs, this better be good," Gibbs answered, sounding slightly grumpy.

"It is. Eric's here," Abby replied. She grinned at Eric

"What? At your apartment?"

"Yep."

"And what?" Gibbs asked. "You don't know what to do with a boy Abs?"

"Gibbs!" Abby reprimanded. She heard Gibbs chuckle slightly.

He followed it up with, "Sorry." Gibbs was sounding more awake now. "What's wrong?" he asked her, concerned.

"Callen's in trouble," Abby stated.

"Make sure the coffee's on. You know how I like it," Gibbs replied. Abby could hear the rustle of him pulling on clothes.

"Disgusting," she answered, smiling at Eric and giving him a thumbs up.

"See you soon Abs," Gibbs replied. She could hear the smile in his voice. She didn't get the chance to reply before Gibbs had hung up.

She turned to Eric. "He's on his way." Abby went and started the coffee. It was about twenty minutes to her place from Gibbs', but she figured he'd make it in less than ten, given the time of the morning and that this had to do with Callen.

At the knock on the door, Eric jumped. Abby glanced at the clock and smiled. Nine minutes. She walked to the door and opened it with a smile.

"Right on time," Abby said by way of welcome.

Gibbs walked through and dropped a kiss on her head and turned to Eric.

"Eric, is it?" he asked as he eyed the L.A techie.

Eric nodded.

"So, what's this about Callen being in trouble?" Gibbs asked as he glanced between the two of them.

Abby opened her mouth to answer, but Gibbs stopped her.

"It's three in the morning Abs. Fifty words or less," he instructed.

Abby frowned. "You're no fun."

"Forty seven," Gibbs reminded her. Abby rolled her eyes.

"Fine...NCIS compromised. Possibly Vance and some of our team involved. Callen and Kensi targets. Bad people. Need to find who. Eric trusts me. Callen trusts you. No one else to know. Hetty's orders. Whole team on the run. Don't know where."

Abby said all of this without taking a breath.

"Well done Abs." Gibbs smiled. "You still have five more to go."

Abby glared at him, cheekily, which made Eric smile.

"I repeat you're no fun," Abby added, using up the rest of her fifty words.

Gibbs grinned and Abby continued. "You know if I didn't love you, I wouldn't have done that."

"I know."

"Good."

Gibbs turned to Eric and frowned. "You really think it's that bad Eric?"

Eric nodded. "It looks that way. I need to look into it further. I need Abby's help and access to your network."

Gibbs looked at Abby. "You can do that from here right Abby?"

"Yep," Abby agreed.

"Get started then." Abby gave a small salute and sat down at her computer. Eric relaxed slightly, knowing that he had at least followed this part of Hetty's orders. He had Abby and Gibbs on side, helping him and not thinking he was just way off base with what he had found. They seemed to trust him that this might be serious. Eric sat beside Abby whilst she got her computer set up with his, and Gibbs moved to the kitchen and poured himself some coffee.

This was going to be a long day.